This architectural thesis explores how the adaptive-reuse of a prime piece of real-estate, together with its immediate surroundings, can respond to a pressing need of cultural and governmental presence. A series of spaces allow creative expression that is particular to Jacmel and renowned internationally. A large pathway leads the carnival processions into the Central Plaza which offers ample space for the various troops to perform. The romantic feel of the plaza’s Lovers’ Lane is recovered with the cooling shadows of new Fromager trees. From the elevated plaza, one can look through the windows of the Manoir Alexandra and towards the horizons as their minds penetrate their minds dwell around the ideologies of the international art work exhibited in the galleries of the Manoir’s top floor. A quiet pathway descends into the gardens of the Manoir Alexandra, where drum sounds, first muffled by the lush vegetation, comes alive as one submerge into the underground dance spaces. An awakening takes place when looking up again towards the Manoir’s Southern balconies. A repetition of porous architectural characteristics reminds one of the rich cultural exchanges that occur in Jacmel, every day. This architectural thesis mediates a mutually beneficial relationship between the local and global community, and acknowledges a history that deals precisely with the cultural clash that may occur when those two worlds collide.
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Architectural thesis on the preservation of a mansion and its stories in historic Jacmel
Le Manoir Alexandra 